As Told by a Dead Man
by Erinn1197
Summary: Albus watches the aftermath of The Accident from above. A companion one-shot to Accidents Happen.


_Author's Note- This a companion piece to my story Accidents Happen. This follows along with the first seventeen chapters of the story. While reading Accidents Happen isn't necessary for this story, it might be helpful in understanding what's going on._

 _Enjoy._

Death was a strange concept. Most people feared death while they were living. Being dead is a totally different thing. It feels like you're living, but you aren't. When you look down below your feet, you see the living. When you look around, you see the dead. Death was interesting. When I first arrived, I met my grandparents. I met my namesakes. I met Sirius Black. I met Teddy's parents. I met so many great people whose deaths were the result of the war.

I spent most of my days looking down, watching over my family. At first it was strange. It almost felt as if I was watching a TV show. Then it became natural. I watched over James and his daily events.

"Come on James!" I yelled out. "Stop blaming Belle for everything."

I couldn't believe how my brother was acting with his girlfriend. The girl he claimed was the love of his life, he's now treating like a murderer. Part of me just wanted to reach down through that clouds and strangle him. Maybe shoot lightning bolts at him because that would just be cool as hell.

I watched as the days moved on. James stayed holed up in his room. Dom would visit to try and comfort Belle. Eventually, the day of my funeral came. It was a bit strange to watch. It felt weird seeing the coffin in the center of the room, knowing I was lying inside of it. I listened to James's speech and brushed away the loose tears I had. I felt proud of him as he took his seat next to Belle. He held out his hand and she took it. They were being civil, supportive for each other. Something they should've been doing all along.

I followed my family as they went over to Godric's Hollow. I watched as they buried me. I watched as Belle sobbed and James comfort her. I watched my mother kneel on the ground, sobbing by my headstone. I watch my father hold Lily close as she cried. I listened as they said their goodbyes and promises to come visit me soon. One by one, they headed over to the car. James hung back for a moment.

"Al." James whispered. "I need some help. Belle…I love her but, I…I just can't over the anger that she survived that crash but you didn't. I…I…Fuck, I just don't know what to do. You were always the one to give me advice when I messed things up with her."

James stood up to start heading over to the car.

"I could use some advice now."

"Here's my advice James." I said. "Stop being such a fuckwit. Understand that things happen. Don't be so mad at the world."

I knew he couldn't hear my words. So instead I sent down a warm breeze, letting him know that I heard him and that I was there.

I kept watching as the days went by. James and Belle made up, James claiming that he needed some time. I watched my parents grieve in the privacy of their bedroom. Eventually Belle's birthday crept up. I was excited. Before the accident, I ordered one of Belle's favorite books for her. The first edition no less. I had arranged for it to be delivered the day of her birthday. I watched eagerly as Dom and Belle returned from Diagon Alley. I was basically bouncing up and down as Lily handed Belle the package.

"Oh my Merlin." Belle whispered.

I smiled as she cradled the book. She held it close to her chest as she cried. I did feel slightly bad for making her cry. I knew she missed me. I didn't plan on being dead when it arrived.

"Who's it from?" Dom asked.

"Al." Belle sobbed, clutching the book closer.

James entered the kitchen to find his girlfriend a sobbing mess. He went and got her cleaned up, telling her they were going out for a birthday dinner. Before the went out though, Belle made him stop by my grave.

"Hey Al." Belle whispered.

"Hey." I responded.

I could see the tears shining in her eyes. I could feel the tears wanting to come up in my eyes."

"I wanted to say thank you for the book. It's amazing. I'm still in shock you even found it."

"Yeah," I laughed, brushing away some stray tears. "It was hard as hell to find."

She looked down at the ground, blinking some of her tears away.

"James is taking me out to dinner. We've been going through a rough spot ever since the accident but I think it's starting to get a little better."

"It's because my brother is a git Belle. He doesn't know how to cope." I said. "And you're being amazing for putting up with him."

She blinked a few more tears away.

"I really miss you Al."

"I miss you too Belle." I cried.

They said their goodbyes and headed off to dinner. I followed them to Paris. James had taken Belle to a nice restaurant for their dinner. I watched carefully at their actions. Everything was going fine and dandy until James asked for a break. Belle freaked and stormed out of the restaurant. She went back home and began packing her stuff, heading back to her own house.

The two seemed to have made up when they got back at school. They more than made up.

"Ugh, gross James." I said, disgusted by the scene in front of me.

I took a break from looking down, disturbed by what I saw. I liked my brother but I did not need to see that much of my brother. The days went by and eventually it was my seventeenth birthday. I watched as my family came to see me, leaving presents, and chatting for a bit. I took a lot of interest that day. She kept getting sick that drew my attention to her. She went and found Dom. Together the two girls discovered Belle was pregnant. I watched as she went to go tell my brother the good news.

 _All right James. Here's my advice._ I thought. _Don't be a dumbass. Don't screw this up._

I wasn't sure if he actually heard me or not, but he didn't act like a dumbass when Belle told him. He was excited and so was I. I was going to be an uncle.

I watched as the two told the whole family they were expecting. Then Belle told James that she wanted to come and tell me. I was filled with excitement as they got into the car to come see me. I was thinking of something I could do for them when they told me to let them know I was there and heard the great news.

Then it happened.

I watched as the car slid across the road and collided with another car. I watched James panic and called for help. I watch the medical personnel load Belle up in the ambulance and take her to the hospital. I watched as they worked on her in a trauma room. And then…

"Mummy?"

I looked up to see a little girl standing in front of me. She looked confused and scared.

"Hi there sweetie." I said gently. "What's your name?"

The little girl looked down at her hands and then looked back up at me nervously.

"I don't know. Where's my mummy?"

"I don't know sweetie."

But I had a suspicion. I looked back down below. The muggle doctor had come out and was talking to James.

"Is the baby okay?" My brother asked.

"I'm so sorry." The doctor said. "The accident caused trauma to Isabelle's body and sent the baby into stress. We tried everything we could."

I looked back up at the toddler in front of me. This was James and Belle's unborn child. Because she was only a fetus when she died, she was given the form of a toddler.

Suddenly, I was pulled away from the child and I appeared in a large room. It place was shiny and covered with white marble. A beautiful woman sat in the front of the room on a throne. I glanced around the room, unsure if I should walk up to her or not.

"Albus Potter." She said. "Come here."

Okay then.

I approached the women. Her golden blonde curls rested gently over her shoulders. Her white dress was long and flowy as she stepped down from her seat.

"Do you know who I am? "She asked.

I shook my head no.

"I am Death." She said.

Death was a lot prettier and less gloomy than I thought.

"I've chosen you to give Isabelle Lynn Stein The Choice." Death said.

"The Choice? Like what my grandmother gave me?" I asked.

Death nodded her head.

"But you mustn't tell her about the death of her child. I assume you have met her?"

"The little girl? Yes, I did and she's absolutely terrified." I said.

"Yes, well, once you give her mother The Choice, things will start to make sense for her." Death explained. "Now, you best be going."

Death waved her hand and the next thing I knew, I was in the hospital.

"James?" I heard Belle call out.

I walked around the halls, finding Belle wondering around. Her back was facing me.

"Hey Belle."

She spun around and looked at me. Her facial expression was confused before twisting into panic.

"Oh Merlin, I'm dead, aren't I?" She asked.

I shook my head.

"You aren't dead." I explained. "You're unconscious in the hospital. You're like half dead."

"Then why are you here?" She asked, confused.

"To help you decide."

"Decide? Decide what?" Belle asked in a panic. "What the hell is going on?"

"Do you remember what happened Belle?" I asked.

She shook her head no and told me that all she remembered was that she was coming to see me with James.

"James hit some black ice on the way. You guys slid across the road into oncoming traffic. You got most of the impact." I explained.

"I don't understand how I have a decision though."

"Do you want to go back to living or do you want to cross over to the other side?" I asked.

"I have a choice?"

I nodded my head yes.

"Did you have a choice?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Why did you choose death then?" Belle questioned

"Because if I chose life, I would've been in a world of misery." I answered. "I know I destroyed you guys emotionally, but I had to."

"Will I be in a world of misery if I chose life?" She asked.

"Yes."

I watched as she looked around, thinking about her options. She then looked back at me and said,

"I want to go back."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

She nodded yes.

"Okay then." I said. "Until next time Belle."

"Wait!" Belle cried out, grabbing me.

She pulled me into a bear hug and squeezed me for as long as she could.

"I miss you Al."

"I miss you too Belle."

I was then sent back to my home. The little girl was still there, still terrified of everything.

"Where's Mummy?" She asked again.

"She's not here yet." I said to the little girl. "I'm here to take care of you though. I'm your Uncle Al."

I pulled the small child up on my lap and looked back down, watching the events unravel before me. James had told Belle about losing the baby. Belle had delivered the body of her child.

They named her Nevaeh Grace Potter.

The little girl on my lap became aware of what was going on around her.

"My name is Nevaeh." She said, looking down at the scene in front of us. "That's Mummy and Daddy."

"That's right." I said.

"And that's me." Nevaeh said, pointing to the tiny baby. "I'm dead, aren't I?"

"Yes, I'm afraid you are."

"You're dead too, right?" She asked.

I nodded.

Nevaeh and I watched as Belle was released from the hospital. We watched Belle's parents stop by for a pathetic excuse of a visit. We watched James ignore Belle and we watched Belle yell at him for it.

"You tell him Belle." I said. "James, stop being a bloody bint."

We watched everyone celebrate Christmas and New Year's. We watched Vic and Teddy pack everything up for their move to America. We watched James go with my father to the Ministry for the day. We watched Belle hanging out with Dom and receiving the picture.

I could see the picture clear as day. It was of James with his arm wrapped around another girl. Blair Chase, to be exact. That girl was nothing more than an obsessed fangirl of James. I was in shock. There was just no way James would be cheating on Belle with that slag.

"Nevaeh sweetie, why don't you run next door and go play with Great Nana Lily and Great Grandad James." I suggested.

The little girl did just that.

I turned back down to below, focusing in on James. He was walking down the streets of Diagon Alley. Blair wasn't in sight though. I didn't care.

"You're a bloody moron James." I shouted.

I broke all laws of Death and sent a thunderstorm right over James.

"You're going to lose the best thing to ever happen to you!"

I watched as he bolted towards the nearest shop to get out of the rain I caused.

"Bloody hell James."

"Albus Potter!"

I sighed.

This wasn't the first time my brother has gotten me in trouble but this was the first time he got me in trouble with Death.

 _Author's Note- Alright guys, what do you think of this quick little one-shot? Did you guys like seeing Al? I'm thinking of writing a little one shot of James/Belle and how they met? What do you think about that? Leave a review with your comments._

 _XOXO_


End file.
